Trailers are one of my favorite parts of going to a movie. Often times, they end up being more exciting then the actual film!

Same thing with video games, I get so excited when a new trailer comes out for an anticipated game. And again in some cases, the trailers are better then the game they're advertising. And in the last few years, video game trailers have only improved since the earlier years of gaming.

These are the gaming trailers I believe to be the best of the last 5 years. They range from RPGs to shooters, and all are incredibly exciting. These are my personal favorites and while there are obviously other great trailers out there, these I felt were the most effective in selling their game to me. Share your thoughts on the effectiveness of the trailers listed here, whether or not the games lived up to their trailers, and/or share any other great trailers that didn't make the list (there are plenty).

System launches usually disappoint. Developers are rushed to get a game completed in time for a system's release, and they don't have a grip on the many facets of the new system. This means that most launch games fail to impress.

However there are a few select titles that are not only classics now, they successfully did their job...move systems into people's homes.

Here are what I consider to be the top ten launch games ever released, in order:

10. Duck Hunt (NES)

This was a close call, as Excitebike was also released with the original NES launch. However Duckhunt simply was a blast, literally. You had a gun, and got to shoot your TV at home with your smiling, crazy companion dog. One poor duck at a time.

9. F-Zero (SNES)

The SNES had a pretty good launch lineup, and F-Zero is no exception. Introducing Mode 7 graphics and the first true sci-fi racer (that looked good), this series is still many people's favorite 22 years on.

8. Rayman (PS1)

The PS1 didn't have the best selection for a launch. It really wouldn't have any great games for another year. However there were a couple of games that held true, and they were Rayman and Ridge Racer. Ridge Racer obviously went on to be highly successful, however Rayman I always felt was the better game. Artistically beautiful world, magical characters and music, and truly unlike any platformer I had played before. And many years later, with the release of the Rayman Origins games, it has proven itself to be timeless.

7. SSX (PS2)

PS2 actually had a pretty good lineup, lots of choices and many genres represented. But without a doubt the game everyone was playing was SSX. This truly showed off what the PS2 could do, and was the most fun you could have on a weekend with friends. It revolutionized sports games and especially snowboarding games.

6. Soul Calibur (Dreamcast)

The Dreamcast was a gem of a system, and it's launch was one of the best. Soul Calibur is to this day one of the best fighters ever produced. It was a great showcase for the system graphically, it was both easy for novice's to get into and a deep enough fighting system for advanced players. It would also go on to produce some stellar sequels. If you had this game, you were the coolest kid on the block.

5. The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess (Wii)

This was the first and only time a Zelda game would launch with a system. And man, this was a big one. The first truly mature looking Zelda title, this was a perfect companion for the brand new Wii. It showed off both the Wii's graphics power and utilized it's new motion controls in fun and exciting ways. And it's Zelda, you just don't get a bigger adventure than that!

4. Halo: Combat Evolved (XBOX)

Where does one start? This game is STILL affecting the industry. Besides the numerous sequels and spinoffs it has produced (all great), they all point back to the original. This game not only changed the FPS genre (and multiplayer) forever, it also cemented console newcomers Microsoft as a force to be reckoned with. An amazing launch title, and still an amazing experience.

3. Super Mario World (SNES)

Seeing Mario in 16 bit for the first time was glorious, and the game ended up not being so bad either. Okay, it's a masterpiece. And to make it more awesome, the SNES came with the game for free! Super Mario World was a staple for a very long time, and truly still one of the best Mario games to date.

2. Super Mario 64 (N64)

The game that made you believe. It certainly made me believe. Could gaming escape the boundaries of 2D, and exist in a fully realized 3D world? Attempts had been made before, but not to the extent of Mario 64. The first moment you take a swim with that giant eel, you realized that gaming would never be the same again. Mario 64 made us feel like we had been living inside a cave our whole lives. A pretty cave, but a cave none the less. Once you made 3D Mario do his first triple jump, you were brought kicking and screaming out of that cave, and into the beautiful beyond. The industry is still feeling the effects of this game, and is still one of the best. And even better, it was a free pack in with your brand new N64!

1. Super Mario Bros. (NES)

The game that started it all. This original NES title both changed the industry and saved it at the same time. It sold millions of NES systems, and made Nintendo a household name. It's the pinnacle that all other games are still compared to, and the one all gamers and developers are still saying thanks to even to this day. Quite literally, this game is solely responsible for saving the gaming industry. Super Mario Bros., we salute you!

Sonic Adventure - Another Dreamcast launch title, this one has not aged as well, however at the time was a showstopper. The first true Sonic game, this was the equivalent for Sega's Dreamcast launch as Mario had been for Nintendo. If you bought a Dreamcast, you more than likely bought this one too. And man it impressed. Sonic's speed rushes through Emerald Coast will forever be seared into my brain.

Panzer Dragoon - One of the ultimate rail-shooters, this one also doesn't hold up as well now however was an amazing experience when first released. You got to ride dragons and shoot things! And the music!

I just finished playing Half-Life 2 for the first time. Yes, literally, just finished playing. I missed this one, I was in California pursuing a career and it just went under my radar. Having finished it, 10 years after it's release, I now understand why everyone has been clamoring for a sequel. And I also believe, that of all the games to be released, Half-Life 3 will be the most important game of the next-generation.

The original Half-Life was a game changer. It changed how we tell stories in games (especially FPS games), it pushed graphics capabilities and introduced a character in Gordon Freeman unlike any other yet experienced. And having played Half-Life 2, the sequel released almost 6 years later, I now understand the influence did not stop with the first Half-Life.

It's sequel was a big game changer. It gave us the freedom to explore a very well thought out world. It's characters and storytelling were far beyond anything yet experienced. And much to my joy - having just played it - HL2 continually surprised me at every turn. I see now all the games since that have used HL2 as their foundation and built upon it. Bioshock, the Call of Duty series, even Borderlands. And yet, as amazing as those games are, HL2 is still the best. And this from someone without history with the game and pre-conceived bias.

I can understand why Valve has taken their sweet time in releasing a third game in the series. How do you possibly top that? It was so well thought out, so impeccably detailed, it's a very tough act to follow. Of course if any company could do it, it would be Valve. Portal 2 was an amazing recent game from them, so they certainly still have the magic touch. And their success with the Steam Store shows they are still forward-thinkers. A good question to ask is are they even working on a sequel? I do believe yes, they are. It's their most important franchise, and it's what defines them. And after making a sequel to Portal, a short side game that was more of an experiment than anything, they are more than likely working on Half-Life 3.

When HL3 finally is completed, and if Valve lives up to the task, HL3 will be the defining game of the next-generation.

Valve doesn't just make games. They make games that both change and push the genre forward. They find ways to do things that have never been accomplished before, and bring gamers to a realm they have never experienced. During my entire play through of HL2, I constantly was in wonder of what I was witnessing. I really felt like I was in a living, breathing infested city (City 17), and was constantly compelled to keep pressing forward, just to see what new experience I would have next. The atmosphere of this game is beautiful, and terrifying at the same time. The sound effects are the best I have ever heard, both sci-fi and organic with a real sense of reality. And most importantly, it is some of the most fun I have ever had with a game. Even after all of the titles that have been released, all the great experiences and memories I have had on multiple systems, HL2 manages to stand above the rest.

If Half-Life 3 manages to repeat this for the next-gneeration, and push the industry forward the same way it did with both the original Half-Life and Half-Life 2, then Half-Life 3 will be the game which all others will be compared to.

Valve, we are looking forward to it.

Note: I just finished Half-Life 2: Episode 1, am about to start Episode 2. I hear this is comparable to Half-Life 2 itself, cannot wait!

Let me first admit I am a huge Nintendo fan. I grew up with them, I admire them, and their characters have stuck with me for most of my life.

I also love Sega, Sony, Microsoft, and PC. I even love to pull out my iPhone and play a little "Rayman Fiesta" from time to time.

The thing is, as amazing as Nintendo has and always will be, other developers have risen over the years and proven themselves to be worthy of people's time and money. Each platform has provided their own innovations and styles, and best of all, they have challenged each other to continue innovating and being their absolute best.

I remember receiving a Sega Genesis for Christmas in '92. I was a huge Nintendo fan, but man, I'd never seen anything like Sonic the Hedgehog before. He was fast, the game looked incredible, and was an obvious step-up for the industry as whole. Sonic the Hedgehog was proof that gamers could handle more then they were given. And over the years, I adored Dynamite Heady, Ecco the Dolphin, the Sonic sequels, Mortal Kombat II and more. During that time, I would also visit my friend's house down the street, and he had an SNES. I loved Donkey Kong Country, Starfox, Street Fighter II and other games that are now classics. Not to mention all of the RPGs. You see, I really liked BOTH systems. They each had their own flavor of gaming, and each brought something to the table that were individually important and captivating. This was the true start of the console wars, and as all my friends argued which one was the best, I found myself both a member of both sides, and a traitor to both sides. You see, I liked them both equally.

I do admit, when Sony first announced their new system, the Playstation, I was apprehensive. Sony? The guys who make TVs and walkmans? Yeah, sure, lets see how THAT turns out. The console wars had already started with Sega and Nintendo, a third party couldn't possibly hold up against those two. And having been both a Nintendo and Sega camper, I was not ready to welcome another company into the group. Okay, I admit, I was completely wrong. Sony not only held up, they would go on to dominate the industry for almost a decade. I finally purchased a Playstation in '97, my first game was Warhawk. I was blown away by not only the 3D visuals, that neither the SNES or Genesis could ever achieve, but also the sound quality. CD quality sound from a console, that's what I'm talking about! Then came games like Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid, Tekken III, Gran Turismo, and the list goes on and on. I was venturing into territory I knew not how to handle. I had become a Nintendo, Sega AND Sony fanboy.

Through all of this, I was also an avid PC gamer. I custom rigged my own PC and started with games like Wolfenstein 3D, then Myst, and have stayed dedicated even to this day. From Mechwarrior 2 to The Dig, from Quake to Unreal Tournament, From Warcraft II to Starcraft II, from Half-Life to Half-Life 2, the list goes on and on. The PC was always at the forefront of sheer graphics power, and even now is still pushing the boundaries further then consoles can handle. I've always looked at this as a blessing, one because I'm a tekkie and love upgrading things. But most importantly, the PC has become the great experimental platform. That is where graphics companies and developers are trying new and exciting ways to push gaming. And once they've developed and proven new ground in both graphics and gameplay, every new console that is released adapts to these PC discoveries, and essentially builds their systems upon what the PC platform has already learned. Basically, the PC has forced every other platform to play catch up, which is a good thing. And with companies like Valve creating innovative new ways to purchase games and socialize, and gaming companies like Blizzard redefining the online MMO experience, their is a lot of life on the PC platform. The PC is an innovative platform, and as long as this keeps happening, we will always be getting consoles that are pushing the envelope.

And then there's Microsoft. I had already been using the Windows platform for years, and appreciated them supporting gaming and creating a platform that gave developers the freedom to make the games they want. However, as apprehensive as I was about Sony making consoles, I was even more apprehensive with the news that Microsoft would be entering the console wars. I felt betrayed as a PC gamer (Microsoft is choosing console gamers over PC gamers, how dare they!). And also, at the time they were pretty much trying to dominate the world. I felt like they were now going to dominate the console business, and eventually just buy out the other companies (they had enough money to). I was already a Nintendo, Sega and Sony fan, please don't get rid of them! Thankfully, I was again proven wrong, as the XBOX was a terrific system that brought us such highlights as Halo, Knights of the Old Republic, Fable and more. They proved to be a healthy and exciting counterpart to the Sony and Nintendo dynamic (Sega was pretty much out of the console business by this point, sadly). They would also be on the forefront of console online multiplayer gaming for some time. I eventually purchase an XBOX in '04, and absolutely loved it.

Over the years, each of these platforms have seen upgrades and new releases. Systems like the XBOX 360, the PS3, the Wii, and now we have new systems like the XBOX One, the PS4, and the Wii U. The PC platform has continued to push the boundaries, with companies like Intel, AMD and Nvidia developing new ways to experience gaming. And each one is absolutely necessary to the gaming business, and the gaming experience.

I have wonderful memories with every one of these platforms. Each one a distinct experience, each one truly unforgettable.

I have become a Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Microsoft and PC fanboy. And I'm proud of it.

Note: Obviously there are systems missing from this list (Sega Saturn and Dreamcast, N64 and PS2, portable systems like the Gameboy and 3DS). Even systems like the 3DO and Jaguar had some games that were great and innovative. These are all terrific systems and I have owned them all. I chose to focus on the entry systems for most of these companies and on the companies themselves, and to start with my earliest memories of when the console wars began (Nintendo vs. Sega). And yes Sega is no longer in the console business, however they have engraved themselves in my heart enough to where I will always acknowledge them as still one of the reigning kings of video game console history. Thanks for reading!